May 29, 2008	Thursday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 23, 1429

MIRPURKHAS, May 28: The chairman of the Mirpurkhas Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education cancelled examinations for two subjects of Class-XI and XII scheduled to be held on Wednesday and Thursday at Government Higher Secondary School, Bhit Bhaiti, Khipro, over manhandling of members of the board’s vigilance team on Wednesday.

The chairman Abdul Aleem Khanzada, accompanied by the board’s controller Prof Abdul Rahim Shaikh and deputy controller Barkat Qureshi reached the school after receiving report about the incident and gathered information about the incident from the staff.

Sources at the centre said that when the members of the board’s vigilance team, Kashif Ahmed and Daniyal Mari, reached the Bhit Bhaiti school in the morning to perform their duty some unidentified persons stopped them from entering the school and beat them up.

Mr Khanzada told journalists that he had formed an inquiry committee headed by Prof Abbas, principal of the Government Science College Tando Jan Mohammad, which would probe the incident and submit him a report within a week.

The board’s controller said that Bhit Bhaiti was one of the three examination centres besides Mithi, Sarhari, which were under observation after the board received complaints about use of unfair means.

The vigilance team had gone there to check if the reports were true when the incident took place, he said. It might be a reaction to the strict vigilance by the board, he added.

But the Bhit Bhaiti school’s vice-principal, Noor Mohammad Jagirani, did not agree to the board official’s view. He said that he had informed the chairman three days ago that parents and relatives of girl students had objected to the attitude of Kashif Ahmed and Daniyal Mari.

They accused them of teasing girl candidates and wanted them not to visit the school anymore. So, when they reached the centre again the girls’ parents manhandled them, he said.

Meanwhile, about 150 board employees staged a demonstration in protest against the incident after boycotting office work.

The board has lodged a non-cognizable report at Khipro police station against the school’s vice-principal and a number of unidentified people.